For the last two decades, continual advancements in electronic technology and network communication technology have not only enhanced the various functions of desktop personal computers over and over again, but also made such computers increasingly light and compact to meet consumers' demand for portability. As a result, ultra-thin portable electronic devices (e.g., laptop computers, tablet computers, and smartphones) came into existence, and the gap of functionality between these devices and their desktop counterparts is closing. Some portable electronic devices have even superseded desktop personal computers and become indispensable tools in life and at work.
The trend toward lightweight and compactness, however, leads to substantial limitations on the expandability of portable electronic devices. In order to provide portable electronic device users with more expanded functions (e.g., the function of an external power interface card, a network cable, a mouse, an external keyboard, an external display, a projector, or a printer), docking stations were developed. FIG. 1, for example, shows a docking station designed specifically for a laptop computer 10. The docking station includes a positioning base 11 and a sliding base 12. The bottom side of the positioning base 11 is configured to lie flat on a flat surface. The top side of the positioning base 11 is concavely provided with a positioning space 110, in which a portion of the bottom side of the laptop computer 10 that is adjacent to the rear edge of the laptop computer 10 can be positioned. (To facilitate identification of the configuration of the positioning base 11, two reference numerals 11 are used in FIG. 1 to indicate respectively the exposed part of the positioning base 11 and the part of the positioning base 11 that is covered by the laptop computer 10.) The rear side of the positioning base 11 is provided with a plurality of expansion slots (not shown) for connecting with various peripherals (e.g., a display, a projector, and a printer) respectively. A portion of the positioning base 11 that is adjacent to one end of the positioning base 11 and faces the positioning space 110 is provided with a first abutting surface 112. The first abutting surface 112 is protrudingly provided with a signal plug (e.g., a USB plug, not shown) extending toward the positioning space 110. The signal plug is electrically connected with each of the expansion slots so that, when the laptop computer 10 is positioned in the positioning space 110 and has one of its two corresponding lateral sides abutting against the first abutting surface 112, the signal plug is inserted into and thereby connected with a signal socket in the lateral side of the laptop computer 10, allowing the laptop computer 10 to electrically connect with and transmit signals to and from each peripheral through the signal plug and the corresponding expansion slot. The sliding base 12 is connected to the opposite end of the positioning base 11 and can be moved with respect to the positioning base 11. A portion of the sliding base 12 that faces the positioning space 110 is provided with a second abutting surface 122. The second abutting surface 122 corresponds to the first abutting surface 112 and is protrudingly provided with a power plug (not shown) extending toward the positioning space 110. The power plug is electrically connected with a power supply (e.g., a rectifier). When the laptop computer 10 is positioned in the positioning space 110 and has the opposite lateral side abutting against the second abutting surface 122, the power plug is inserted into and thereby connected with a power socket in this lateral side of the laptop computer 10 in order for the laptop computer 10 to receive electricity from the power supply through the power plug.
Indeed, the docking station increases the expanded functions of the laptop computer 10 by allowing the laptop computer 10 to connect through the docking station to different peripherals. However, the docking station is devoid of any anti-theft mechanism, and it is not uncommon that one who has finished using a certain expanded function of the laptop computer 10 (e.g., printing, preparing a presentation, or searching for information online) fails to put the laptop computer 10 away immediately because he or she is otherwise engaged (e.g., chatting with someone, discussing the contents of the presentation with someone, searching for more information online, or using the toilet). When it subsequently occurs to the user that the laptop computer 10 has been left as is, chances are the laptop computer 10, which is light and compact, is already gone. Should this happen, not only is it extremely difficult, if not impossible, to recover the laptop computer 10, but also the personal files and confidential information stored in the laptop computer 10 are prone to unauthorized access or release, an infuriating occurrence that may cause a huge loss to the user.
Hence, the issue to be addressed by the present invention is to design a docking station with an anti-theft mechanism for a portable electronic device. It is desirable that a docking station can be brought into a locked state to prevent a portable electronic device from being detached therefrom and thereby ensure that the portable electronic device is safe from theft.